The concept  of  up-selling is nothing but simply engaging the customer on the menu than he/she intends to. A captain or a wait staff is the best person for up-selling the products on your menu card. An up-selling is not only a sale but it is also one of the most unique ways of customer service.

Here we will discuss some of the key and core aspects of up-selling which makes it an art in itself.

i) Provide proper training to your staffs – Up-gradation requires a proper way. Anybody cannot suddenly start it. So, every restaurant should be arranging a suitable training session for  its employees wherein they will be taught how to approach a client, what are the questions to be asked, which items should gel well with which drink and so on.

ii) Greet your customers – Greeting your customer by calling them by their names is a very healthy start towards the first step of up-selling. This is the way you can connect with your customers. It is a basic human nature to get recognition. And we all know that a happy customer returns and brings repeat business.

iii) Be specific – A good suggestion to earn brownie points from the customer as well as the owner is to implement more of your energy to a particular customer rather than asking for the order and processing it to the kitchen. If the customer asks for a good beer, suggest a beer which is high on profit margin. Also suggest a complementing and supplementing item, which you can go well with beer.

iv) Attend unsure customer – To be a good seller, one needs to develop an eye to identify and attend unsure customer. A wait staff should take up the opportunity in his/her stride and suggest the most expensive and uncommon items which can satiate the taste buds of the customer as well as give him/her freedom from the monotony of having the same repeat items.

v) Be enthusiastic and full of energy – An enthusiastic server always spreads a positive vibe and the chances of seeking attention from the customer is more on the higher side. Patrons are likely to take suggestions and offerings from a happy server.

vi) Don’t be pushy – As a sales person, you know you need to provide revenue to your management and that is why you have to involve yourself into up-selling. But you should always keep in your mind that never be pushy towards a particular item to the customer. If he says yes your job is done, but if you feel the customer is more likely to go on his own, its better to be him the way. Excessive push can garner a negative image in the mind of the customer making him feel that you are up for a sale.

vii) Invite questions – Encouraging customers to question them about a food is always a sign that you are on the right track. A customer feels very pleased when he is given importance. Answering him/her politely, you can start with your suggestions.

viii) Don’t be in a rush to close off with a customer – As soon as your customer had finished with the starter and the drink, don’t be in a hurry to hand him the bill to him. Instead you should aim for tactics to stay him more. You can suggest him a dessert and offer him some combo’s or a discount with the item. That’s how you can win on the customer’s mind and who knows in future, if he is ever visiting your restaurant he will seek for you to attend him.

Following these simple tips and implementing the same by the right person, can surely act as a booster to your business.